The player community was in chaos.
↳Is this update fr? balance is completely cooked
↳Forget the balance, we r so cooked bro
↳Lmao how are we even supposed to beat Count Oscura??? Raymond you absolute psycho!
In fact, there was no need to even check the online forums.
Media outlets constantly talked about the new update.
"The AAU has revealed that Count Oscura is a vampire—"
"Even major guilds are showing hesitation, maintaining that they cannot recklessly enter a rift with such clear danger."
I belatedly checked the update, astonished.
What?! Level 430? Isn't that higher than the number one player in the world?
I felt like taking back my comment calling them an inferior species.
On top of that, the vampire was demonkind—a class of monsters notoriously tricky for players to handle.
To safely raid demonkind, it was common knowledge that one needed to be at least ten levels ahead.
So… did they really drop this update expecting anyone to clear it? No wonder!
I finally understood why the world was in an uproar.
Since heavy casualties were guaranteed, it made total sense that major guilds were treading carefully.
However, if the rift collapsed while everyone was busy waiting for someone else to move, the gates of hell would truly open.
Of course, I was fully aware that the effect of the Demon Hunter's class skill was far more incredible than I had thought.
Natural Enemy: Combat power increases exponentially when facing demonkind.
But that imp was just Level 200.
Hunting Count Oscura, whose level was more than double that, was unimaginable.
Yet, that was merely the conclusion reached by my mind—by me, Hoyeol Lee.
At that moment, my heart was beating no differently than usual.
Its pulse asserted that no matter the type of demon, it made no difference.
『 No demonic temptation, deception, or tribulations can blemish the noble pride of Grandfel.』
Whether he was facing an imp, a vampire, or even standing before a demon king, Grandfel's arrogant pride would never bend.
It was literally a character setting built on living and dying by style—one that hastened death itself.
Of course, I had not the slightest intention of meeting an untimely death while chasing style.
Living as long and quietly as possible—that was the life I desired.
No, wait a minute.
Yet even then, my rational mind was telling me it was possible.
The reason was the glowing quest window in front of me.
─Hunt the Vampire. (In Progress) ▲
●Announce that the hunt has begun. (In Progress)
As I stared at those quest objectives, old memories of how Demon Hunters used to hunt demons resurfaced.
With that realization, certainty took root in my mind.
If I follow the quest just like back then… I might actually be able to hunt the vampire!
It was a genuine, undeniable conviction.
In an instant, a field of flowers bloomed in my mind.
How much EXP would I gain by taking down Count Oscura? Will he drop good items, by any chance? Ah, I shouldn't forget the class quest rewards either!
Despite these thoughts, the corners of my mouth did not twitch in the slightest.
To Grandfel, the vibrant daydream blooming in my mind was far less impressive than a casual stroll through his own family garden.
Simply put, such a victory was taken for granted—a prize to be claimed without question.
↳ The new rift location just dropped!!! They say it's Russia?!!
I spoke in a cold voice.
"For the trouble you have caused me by remaining in hiding, your punishment shall be all the graver."
* * *
The Magic Tower.
Its interior was mysterious beyond words.
"Holy shit. It looks completely different from the outside!"
Surrounded by countless books, the vast space felt as though entirely different laws of physics applied.
Yet the grandest sight of all was the portal glowing at its center.
"Russia, of all places. Imagine if we didn't have the Magic Tower. Just thinking about it is awful."
"See, the Guild Master was right after all. We're lucky we settled down in Korea quickly. Look at the Japanese or Chinese guilds. Stubborn for no reason, and now they have to fly all the way to Russia."
"It'll still be a nightmare even after they land. I heard it's a five-hour drive from the airport."
Portal.
It was a high-tier, large-scale teleportation spell.
Even among players, those capable of casting a portal could be counted on one hand.
Of course, it was impossible to compare a player's portal to one created by the Magic Tower.
"Man, when will I ever get to use magic like that?"
"Probably never, even if you hit max level."
"Max level? Is there even a cap in Arcana?"
"Nope. So it's impossible."
"Man, screw you."
A player's portal was merely an emergency escape tool, not built for long-distance transport.
The mana required to maintain one was no joke, either.
"Still, when else will we ever get to use portals so freely?"
Originally, the portals provided by the Magic Tower were not free to use either.
But just as the world had changed, the Magic Tower had changed along with it.
A large crowd gathered around the portal.
Naturally, the one drawing the most attention was Gaon.
"Has Gaon discovered a strategy for Count Oscura this time?"
"What made you decide to launch the expedition ahead of the other guilds?"
"Some believe that even if Gaon fails the raid, the information gained should be shared with other guilds. What are your thoughts on this?"
Ranked No. 5 in the world, Gaon was South Korea's top guild.
Its guild master, Taemin Nam, answered the barrage of questions.
"Unfortunately, we don't have a set strategy. Since when did we wait around for safe strategies before challenging a rift? As for why we launched the expedition before the other guilds? Naturally, to stay ahead of the competition!"
True to his reputation, Taemin's voice radiated complete confidence.
"And what was that? Share intel even if we fail? Regrettably, no such thing will happen. They'll spout nonsense about peace for humanity, but if they don't like it, I'd suggest they challenge the rift directly like us. Isn't that real peace?"
The gathered reporters flinched under his intense pressure.
Yet, contrary to his confident demeanor, Taemin was secretly burning up with anxiety.
Gaon had staked everything on this expedition.
We have to get results.
Due to the Magic Tower, major guilds from all over the world poured into South Korea.
While this might have been a good thing for the government and citizens, it was anything but for Gaon.
Their standing in the country was shrinking by the day.
Gaon's aggressive moves served as a catalyst, spurring the other guilds into action.
The reporters began buzzing.
"…Huh? Wait, it's the Shining Guild!"
Ranked No. 1 in the world, Shining was the undisputed strongest guild.
They arrived at the Magic Tower leading a massive expedition force of their own.
"Right. That's how it should be," Taemin muttered.
Shining had made its move.
It was only a matter of time before every other guild followed suit.
The swarm of reporters that had surrounded Taemin immediately scattered, rushing toward Shining.
Only then did Cheolmin step forward and pat his younger brother on the shoulder.
"No need to rush. This is going to be a long-term battle anyway."
"I know. I'm just feeling motivated."
"By the way… my first day on the job is pretty eventful, to say the least."
"Big bro, just think of it as being blessed with work."
Cheolmin had joined the expedition as Gaon's analyst, though he certainly hadn't expected to be thrown into a massive raid right out of the gate.
Even so, he was determined to fulfill his duties.
It was one thing to be a parachute hire, but he refused to be called a useless one.
"I finished briefing the guild members."
"Briefing?"
"Yeah, the layout of this new rift is extremely unusual."
Cheolmin pulled out a tablet.
Displayed on the screen were three concentric circles.
He tapped the outermost ring.
"This is the Territory Outskirts rift. It isn't just drawn as a circle for aesthetics; hundreds of individual rifts have actually formed a complete ring."
"…Hundreds? Wait, then what about the middle ring?"
"That's the Count's Territory rift. Slightly smaller in size, right? There are about thirty of them."
"Then the innermost circle must be the Count's Fortress."
Cheolmin nodded.
"Right, Count Oscura is inside the innermost rift."
"Wait… outskirt walls, inner territory, central keep… isn't this structured like a medieval fortress?"
"Exactly. Which brought a thought to mind."
"?"
Cheolmin swiped the screen, revealing an illustration of a medieval castle.
"What if, when the rift collapses, Count Oscura's Fortress materializes in the real world?"
"Brother… isn't that reaching a bit?"
"Why? Even the Magic Tower popped into existence."
"…"
Taemin had no counter to that because there was nothing wrong with his brother's logic.
However, one thing was certain: if the rift collapsed and the Count's Fortress really did manifest in the real world…
"…Isn't there a chance this turns into a siege war?"
"Yeah. That's what worries me, too."
"Fuck! We're barely hanging on as it is!"
In Arcana, siege warfare heavily favored the defender.
And in this raid, the defending side was none other than Count Oscura.
Taemin was certain of one thing.
"If that happens, it'll literally be impossible to clear."
Instead of answering, Cheolmin merely shrugged.
Silence fell over the brothers for a moment before Taemin spoke again.
"We just have to do our best."
"Good plan."
"Put a little enthusiasm into it, big bro."
"It's just that my very first assignment is too overwhelming."
Cheolmin had his own grievances to air.
"All I wanted was to focus on signing that rookie. I was tweaking the contract, carefully writing another polite text message, when an unexpected update dropped…"
The rookie Cheolmin spoke of was, naturally, Hoyeol.
In truth, even then, Hoyeol was the only thing on Cheolmin's mind.
Taemin felt the same way.
"Tsk. We need every single player we can get for this raid."
"That's why I told you to increase his cut!"
"Big bro, the split was already 9.5 to 0.5—and we were taking the 0.5! How could we possibly give him a bigger share? We're buying him a house, buying him a car, covering all his expenses… At this rate, it'll take us over ten years just to break even!"
"Ah, whatever. It's still your fault."
Their bickering didn't last long.
"Anyway, let's get ready, little bro."
The time had finally come to step into the portal.
Taemin tilted his head.
"Are you done preparing?"
"What preparation does an analyst need?"
"No, I mean—aren't you going for a smoke, big bro?"
"Ah. Cigs?"
Cheolmin smiled faintly.
"I quit. Once my worries vanished, I stopped reaching for them."
* * *
I opened the closet.
The new rift had opened in Russia, where the average temperature hovered around 2°C.
Bundling up in thick clothes was only logical.
Yet, I put on a suit.
This, too, was the fault of my character setting that lived and died by formality and dignity.
Adapt. There is no choice but to adapt.
Fortunately, the few jackets I owned were fairly thick.
I checked my reflection in the mirror.
My hair was silver, so natural it looked as if I'd been born with it—not a single trace of black remained.
My face had changed as well.
Though less dramatic than the transformation of my hair, a subtle shift around my eyes redefined my entire look.
My presence radiated a whole new aura.
Even my physique had grown sturdier through repeated training quests.
The once-baggy suit now fit like a tailored garment—a natural result, given the strict diet enforced by Grandfel's noble palate.
Looking at myself in the mirror, I spoke aloud.
"It is indeed me."
Yes, I knew this altered appearance was still me.
It belonged to no one else.
After all, this was my—Hoyeol Lee's—dark past.
Having accepted that fact, I hesitated no longer.
Preparations were complete.
It was time to go to Russia.
I set off toward the Magic Tower.
…Wait a minute.
Wearing my dress shoes, I paused right as I stepped out the front door.
"I almost forgot."
Opening the cupboard, I grabbed a handful of barley green tea bags and tucked them neatly into my jacket's inner pocket.
…Right. Living and dying by teatime is part of me, too.
Of course, carrying tea bags alone didn't automatically brew tea.
But that didn't matter.
Not when I could 『Examine』, 『Interfere』, and 『Manifest』.
That's right.
I had successfully manifested 『Magic』.
Gazing at the teacup resting on the table, I spoke.
"Nor is a cup required."
The neat stack of papers piled beside the teacup was proof enough of my arduous research.
* * *
Arriving at the Magic Tower, I gazed at the brilliantly glowing portal.
"!"
It was high-tier magic that only a handful of players could cast.
What's more, this particular portal had been manifested by the Magic Tower's NPCs, mages on par with archmages.
And yet…
How come?
In my eyes, that advanced magic appeared even simpler than the basic Ignite spell I had seen on NetTube.
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